A History of Onoway Public Library

Onoway Community Library was opened in May 20, 1973 in a space less than 12 feet square, a small room in the old Village Office at the corner of 49th Avenue and 50th Street. The crowded shelves housed about 1,000 books, mainly donations from community members, some from Yellowhead Regional Library and some from the University's Extension Library. These books circulated about 3,000 times in that year. (In 1972 Onoway's population was 485.) The library was open eight hours a week and was operated by volunteers, each working two to four hours per month. The board responsible for launching Onoway's first library consisted of Jean Butler (Chair), Keith Clamp, Joan Koch, Elizabeth Rushton and Joy Thompson.